“It may seem odd that when new library director Brad Allen talks about the forthcoming $19 million expansion of the Lawrence Public Library, he often gets most excited about the basement. After all, there will be plenty of other places that are more likely to catch the eye: a new children’s area, an expanded auditorium, an outdoor plaza area, just to name a few. But still, when Allen starts pointing at the stack of blueprints that often are spread out in his office, there’s a decent chance he’ll first point to the basement level.”